BACK TO JOY...

"My word for the year..."

This is something that I see or hear each year as we come to the end of another year and begin our "resolutions" and plans for a new one.

I have tried...

And failed...

Three different years!

First year:  Joy

Second year:  Hope

Third year:  Well, since I failed the first two years, decided to combine the two words and use Joy & Happiness!

That didn't quite work either; so I gave up the idea and decided to just write whatever inspired me!  That worked for a couple of weeks...

Just didn't "feel it", I guess!!

And lately I have felt a loss of the Joy and Happiness I once had.  I keep feeling I have lost Me and the person I was...

Everything just seems to be crowding into me and I have lost my way.  Lost the reason for everything I do.

I have lost the person I was.

I have lost the joy I once had, and the happiness that comes along with it.

But I am beginning to understand that it really is still there...

Joy and Happiness are right in front of me!

I just have to look for them!

And I really have been finding both joy and happiness...



Like in the wrapping on a Christmas gift from my Secret Elfster;

I found JOY!



And in the words of this scripture in my email this morning:

"The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."  Psalm 28:7 (NLT)

And I realize the Lord is my strength and my shield!

The Lord gives me the strength to go on; and the shield to deflect anything that takes away my Joy that leads to Happiness.

He helps me to find what I have lost!

To find that which I have stopped seeing before me because I am not focusing on that but on the things that take away from it.

So, today I seek JOY!

Today I seek Happiness!

Thank you God for giving me the strength to go on; to see what is right in front of me!

And to find my Joy and Happiness!